What is Membership?

Since the beginning, GreenStar's mission focused on making nutritious, whole food available to its members. But membership means more than just access to good, healthy food...

When you join the Co-op you become a Member-Owner of a locally-owned and cooperatively operated values-based business. We focus on the social and environmental impact GreenStar makes on our local and global community, as well as economic performance. We put our values first, and return all profits back to the Co-op or donate them to the community.

The co-operative business model has proven to be a strong alternative to traditional profit-driven businesses. And, for every dollar you spend in a locally-owned business or cooperative, 45 cents is return to the community, compared to only 13 cents when you spend a dollar at a chain store.

One Member – One Vote means your voice truly counts!

Like all consumer co-ops, GreenStar is owned and democratically run by the people who use the store. Unlike traditional corporations where the amount of a stockholder's investment determines his or her voting power, every member at GreenStar has equal voting rights. As a Member-Owner, you have an equal say in the future direction of GreenStar.

By investing and participating in your co-op, you're putting your values into action.

Through your Equity Share investment and patronage, GreenStar supports the health and well-being of our member-owners, our community and the planet by:

Purchasing from local farmers and businesses

Paying a livable wage

Using clean energy and recycled office supplies

Supporting organic agriculture and fair trade producers

Offering health insurance to employees

Donating to local charities and events

Providing education on nutrition, health and sustainability

Improving access to healthy food to those on limited budgets through the FLOWER program

This month we’ll complete our review of the seven Cooperative Principles. These principles are central to the operations of co-ops worldwide, and help highlight the difference between values-driven cooperatives and profit-driven corporations.

Principle #4: Autonomy & Independence. Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations that enter into agreements with other organizations in ways that maintain the co-op’s independence and democratic control by the members.

Some of the more interesting agreements GreenStar enters into are
with other cooperative organizations, such as the National Cooperative
Grocers Association (NCGA). NCGA itself is a co-op whose members are
natural food cooperatives. NCGA negotiates wholesale buying agreements
and coupon programs, providing better prices than their member co-ops
could achieve individually. Still, GreenStar maintains its purchasing
autonomy because NCGA doesn’t dictate what products we carry in our
store — that is decided by our buyers who order based on guidelines that
GreenStar members establish through our product policies.

Principle #5: Education, Training and Information. Cooperatives
provide education and training for their members, elected
representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute
effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They also educate
the public on the nature and benefits of cooperatives.

This past year we significantly increased our outreach to local
colleges, attending events and conducting store tours and food
demonstrations in order to educate college students about cooperatives,
natural foods and sustainability. More recently, our Marketing
Department began an educational outreach program to teach high school
students about whole foods and nutrition, and the role bulk buying and
cooperatives play in enhancing wellness in a sustainable and affordable
way. The high school students, once trained, will have the opportunity
to extend the program to the middle school.

Principle #6: Cooperation among Cooperatives. Cooperatives serve
their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement
by working together through local, national, regional and international
structures.

As mentioned above, we are actively engaged with other co-ops
throughout the country through membership in various co-op
organizations. GreenStar staff and Councilmembers are in constant
contact with other natural food co-ops to share information on
operational and marketing strategies, and membership programs. A great
example of cooperation in action is our new FLOWER program. The first
step in designing FLOWER was to put a message out on an email list
maintained by the Cooperative Grocers’ Information Network. Several
co-ops responded, sending us their applications, brochures and
procedures for their low income discount programs. By learning what
other co-ops are doing — what has worked and what hasn’t — we can design
better programs.

Principle #7: Concern for Community. Cooperatives work for the
sustainable development of their communities through policies approved
by their members.

Our Living Wage policy, Product Line policy and our Ecological
Responsibility & Leadership policy are prime examples of GreenStar’s
members voting to establish guidelines that allow us to stay true to
our commitment to work towards local, national and global
sustainability, and social and economic justice. The current ban on
products produced in the People’s Republic of China reflects the concern
many GreenStar members have over the atrocities that have occurred in
Tibet at the hands of the Chinese government. Our One-Minute Activist
program enables GreenStar members to collectively voice their concerns
and desires to people in key decision-making positions, thereby
influencing the outcomes of critical decisions by our government
officials. And, by simply shopping at GreenStar, we, as members, put our
money where our values lie, in support of an alternate economic system
that puts people’s well-being and the protection of our endangered
environment first.

For more information on the Cooperative Principles, visit the International Cooperative Alliance website: www.ica.coop.